Date of Award

5-2025

Degree Type

Honors College Thesis

Academic Program

Media and Entertainment Arts BA

Department

Mass Communication and Journalism

First Advisor

Mary Sheffer, Ph.D.

Advisor Department

Mass Communication and Journalism

Abstract

A “Little” Solution to a Big Problem is a documentary film that revolves around the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum and how it positively impacted its community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pocket Museum is a small alleyway located in downtown Hattiesburg, Mississippi and is filled with small objects, scenes, and fun activities. The thesis includes interviews with Vicki Taylor, creator of the Pocket Museum, and Lissa Ortego, the first artist to paint in the alleyway. They explain the history behind the museum, the circumstances that led to its creation, and how they kept the museum relevant during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This thesis discusses the methods of production and details the reasoning behind many aspects, such as interview questions, lighting selections, and post-production editing decisions. It also discusses why the filmmaker chose a creative route for this thesis and her method for deciding on an expository style of documentary. Within this thesis, it is explained why this documentary was produced and why Vicki’s story was chosen to be cast into the spotlight.

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